Consultation will ask how Viking funds should be spent

Work on the access road for the Viking Energy project at Kergord. Photo: John Coutts. 

The Shetland Community Benefit Fund (SCBF) has signed up to a consultation which will ask folk how its money should be spent.

The fund will distribute around £2.2 million every year once the Viking Energy windfarm is up and running.

IBP Strategy and Research, based in Lanarkshire, has been appointed contractors for a consultation which will take two years to design and complete.

When completed, it will ask folk what they would like to see the funds go towards.

Local focus groups, online and telephone surveys will be used by IBP to gauge what the public believes the fund’s priorities should be.

SCBF chairman Chris Bunyan said the signing of the contract with IBP was a major step forward.

“Everyone in the community, whether an individual, business, social enterprise, charity, statutory body or voluntary group will be able to play their part in helping to decide how the community benefit money is spent.”

The Viking Energy Wind Farm is expected to be up and running from summer 2024.